Build with NO finish?

[Rip Topaz]

Found an old (1968-72) wooden crate at a flea market over the weekend, and of course the first thing that went through my head was "a P-bass!!"

My plan is to use the crate wood for a top and back, with a pine core. Gonna make a slab body P body out of it.

Here's the coolest part. It has a date and address stamp, that will fit perfectly right where my forearm will hit when I'm playing it.

I want it to be as rustic looking as humanly possible. The plan is to use the vinegar and steel wool trick on the pine core, but I want to skip as much finish as possible. I'm talking leaving a drink ring on it somewhere, that raw.

Has anyone built any like this? Where you just slapped a couple boards together and rocked?

Looking for inspiration here. Aside from the drink ring, I'll probably throw an old bottle opener on it somewhere.

Anyone got a beater of that caliber? Let's see it, please.

I found this one online last night, and it's beautiful.

Anyone else?

 

[skwee]

fun!

 

[Rip Topaz]

fun!

Totally. This will be the bass I can leave out at a cookout this summer, and not have to worry about it getting scratched.

I'll probably throw a Mighty Mite neck on it, or maybe a GFS if they ever get them back in stock.

 

[blindsagacity]

you're gonna want to at least put a coat or two of oil on it, just to seal it from humidity changes, otherwise, it won't be a playable bass for very long

 

[Rip Topaz]

you're gonna want to at least put a coat or two of oil on it, just to seal it from humidity changes, otherwise, it won't be a playable bass for very long

I do plan on at least sealing it, but want to do it in the simplest form possible. This isn't a high dollar piece, just a beater to amuse me for a few hours.

 

[josiah goldfish]

In that case how about polyurethane? No, not the spray type. The stuff you get in a tin. Use a rag to avoid brush marks, should only take a couple of coats.

I did a build once with a wiped-on polyurethane sealer (one coat) then just rubbed some wax on top (briwax). Worked great!

Joe

 

[M0ses]

A few coats of oil will do the trick. It won't shine much from that and you can scuff it right back to crap.

 

[rebelscum]

 

[Rip Topaz]

In that case how about polyurethane? No, not the spray type. The stuff you get in a tin. Use a rag to avoid brush marks, should only take a couple of coats.

I did a build once with a wiped-on polyurethane sealer (one coat) then just rubbed some wax on top (briwax). Worked great!

Joe

Hmm. Brush marks.

I used the wipe-on poly on my last build and loved the look. This one definitely has to be a matte finish, though.

 

[josiah goldfish]

Making it matt is easy! Just sand it right back so that it just seals it. The wax is matt too, just adds some extra protection.

 

[josiah goldfish]

It'll look like the bass in the OP

 

[k31bassman]

I made this from a Winchester shotgun shell crate and some fired cartridges.
Tru-oil wipe-on finish, two or three coats. It's "rustic", but protected.
The back is yellow pine from an old church pew. 7.5 pounds, too!

Do it, you'll have fun.

Oh, and my avatar is one I made for my son from a military crate.

 

[k31bassman]

Military crate bass.

 

[Rip Topaz]

Sweet!!

 

[Buchada Azeda]

You could try and seal it using the good ole egg white method.

 

[JIO]

good focus for a thread! Show yer' rustic-bodied basses!

 

[Rip Topaz]

You could try and seal it using the good ole egg white method.

I'm betting this would cause my dogs to chew it up.

 

[Rip Topaz]

Here's the top all laid together. You can kinda make out the shape in pencil.

Now that I'm looking at it, I think that center stripe is an eyesore. Tomorrow I'll remove it and replace it with a better matched stripe.

The back is gonna look cool, too. This crate had all kinds of scars and knots and markings. It must've been dragged at some point. Lol.

This is a section of what I'm using for the back. Had to glue up a section that fell apart as soon as I removed the nails.

 

[Rip Topaz]

Military crate bass.

I like the way the boards are laid out on this one. Very cool.

 

[Hopkins]

you're gonna want to at least put a coat or two of oil on it, just to seal it from humidity changes, otherwise, it won't be a playable bass for very long

If this were true, all those basses with the finish worn through would also be unplayable. It will however get extremely dirty, and ugly.